Introduction
In this session, Revelation chapter 8 : 1-7, we focus on the meaning of the seventh seal that brought silence in heaven for half an hour. When you mess up with a phone or computer 🖥 by adding so many unnecessary programs and viruses 🦠🦟🦠🦟, the best way to correct that is to do a factory reset. One of the great Tribulations’ purposes is to do a factory reset of the Earth to its original intended purpose by removing of sin and evil.
The Great Tribulation will take Place in three levels with increasing severity. Chapters 6 and 7 are called the 7 seals judgment (lower level), while chapters 8 to 19 are called the 7 trumpets judgment (higher level), then the 7 bowls judgment. There was a silence in heaven while moving from lower-level judgments or plagues to higher-level judgments or plagues. Remember during the Day of the Lord in Egypt, God sent 10 plagues or judgements or tribulations in increasing measure, the last being the death of the firstborns in Egypt. During the plagues in Egypt, there was always a short silence. Why? Maybe to allow Pharaoh, Egyptians, and the Israelites in Egypt to reflect on the righteous Judge’s purpose of allowing the plagues and perhaps turn to him.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood that great tribulation is one of God’s ways to restore the Earth to the original intended purpose by comparing the process of factory reset principles, which deletes unnecessary user programs from our computers
- Understood that God will use three series of judgments, lower and higher judgments by listing the 7 seals and the 7 trumpets Judgment and the 7 bowls.
- Appreciated that God does not forget the prayers made by his saints by analyzing the case of Zechariah, Daniel in Babylon, and the Shunamite woman from the verses provided
- Listed the parts of the earth destroyed by the blowing of the trumpets of the 7 angels.
Outline
- Silence in heaven between the 6th and 7th judgment.
- Saints’ prayers are not wasted
- Ministry of Angels
Group Study Time
Revelation 8: 1-7
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read Rev 8: 1-2. Describe the two things revealed after the 7th seal was opened. Ie silence in heaven and 7 angels being given the 7 trumpets 🎺 🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺. Why was there silence in Heaven for about 30 minutes? (Silence and noises)
- What is prayer? How long does your prayer last in the presence of God? Does God store up the prayers of saints until the opportune time? See how Zechariah’s prayer was stored up for over 30 years before there were answered in God’s time. Luke 1:5-13. ( see also Daniel’s prayer, Dan 10:12, see also the Shunamite woman’s prayer, which was stored up in 2 Kings 4:11-17.)
- Read Rev 8: 3-5. What 3 lessons are revealed about the prayers of the saints (believers) before the heavenly altar and before God? How does prayer change things on earth? Explain?
- What is revealed about the ministry of angels on earth now and the end times?
- Read Rev 8: 6-7. What happened when the first angel blew his trumpet? What part of creation was affected? Why was the third of the Earth burned up?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.
Post Lesson Teaching Summary
Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!
The Lamb breaks the 7th seal, and the first trumpet is blown
Revelation 8: 1-7
Audio Summary
Revelation 8:1-6
- Context:
- John’s vision in Revelation 8:1-6 follows the opening of the sixth seal and the salvation of the 144,000 and a great multitude, transitioning to the seventh seal during the tribulation, post-rapture.
- The church is in heaven, spared from God’s wrath, as the scene shifts to a moment of silence and preparation for the trumpet judgments.
- Seventh Seal: Silence and Prayer (Revelation 8:1-6):
- The Lamb opens the seventh seal, resulting in silence in heaven for about half an hour, signaling the presence of the Judge and reflection on past and upcoming judgments (v. 1).
- Seven angels are given trumpets to initiate the next set of judgments, while another angel offers incense mixed with the prayers of God’s people at the golden altar, which ascends to God (v. 2-4).
- The angel throws fire from the altar to earth, causing thunder, lightning, and an earthquake, showing that prayers, received in heaven, effect change on earth (v. 5-6).
- Mercy is evident as God receives prayers as a sweet aroma, using them to advance His redemptive purposes even amidst judgment.
- Application:
- Embrace the power of prayer, offered in faith and silence, trusting God to receive it as a sacrifice and use it to impact earth; live in submission to the Judge, coming to Jesus now to avoid the tribulation’s wrath.